Natural Wonder · Darvaza, Turkmenistan
Darvaza Gas Crater
The Darvaza gas crater, also known as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell, and known officially as the Shining of Karakum, is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern near Darvaza, Turkmenistan. Built 1971.
Photo: Tormod Sandtorv via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Darvaza, Turkmenistan |
|---|---|
| Type | Natural Wonder |
| Built | 1971 |
| Elevation | Elevation: 137 m |
| Coordinates | 40.2525° N, 58.4396° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Darvaza Gas Crater is known for
The Darvaza gas crater, also known as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell, and known officially as the Shining of Karakum, is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern near Darvaza, Turkmenistan.
About Darvaza Gas Crater
The Darvaza gas crater, also known as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell, and known officially as the Shining of Karakum, is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern near Darvaza, Turkmenistan. Hundreds of natural gas fires illuminate the floor and rim of the crater. The gas crater has been burning since 1971. The most common theory for the forming of the crater is that drilling punctured a natural-gas cavern, the cavern's roof collapsed, and (some sources say) engineers ignited the crater to prevent poisonous gases from spreading.
History
The early years of the crater's history are still being determined. Relevant records are either absent from the archives, classified, or inaccessible. Some local geologists have claimed that the collapse of a crater happened in the 1960s; it was set on fire only in the 1980s to prevent the emission of poisonous gases. Others assert that the site was drilled by Soviet engineers in 1971 as an oil field but collapsed within days, forming the crater, with the engineers choosing to flare the crater to prevent the emission of poisonous gases but underestimating the volume of the gas.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Darvaza |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Dashoguz Airport (TAZ) |
| Distance from the airport | 135.1 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Dashoguz International Airport (TAZ) · Daşoguz, Turkmenistan · 127.1 miles away
- Urgench International Airport (UGC) · Urgench, Uzbekistan · 147.3 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Turkmenistan
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Frequently asked questions
What is Darvaza Gas Crater?
The Darvaza gas crater, also known as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell, and known officially as the Shining of Karakum, is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern near Darvaza, Turkmenistan.
Where is Darvaza Gas Crater located?
Darvaza Gas Crater is in Darvaza, Turkmenistan. Its coordinates are 40.2525° N, 58.4396° E.
How do I get to Darvaza Gas Crater?
The nearest town is Darvaza, and the nearest airport is Dashoguz Airport (TAZ), about 135.1 miles away (straight line).
When was Darvaza Gas Crater built?
Darvaza Gas Crater was built 1971.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darvaza_gas_crater — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q70458 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.